Centre for Trauma Care, Prevention, Education and Research

Director

Scientific Director

Dr Lawrence Lam

Overview

The Centre for Trauma Care, Prevention, Education and Research (CTCPER) is the core centre for trauma services at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Its mission is to provide high quality, evidence based services to children and adolescents injured due to traumatic events; to lead in the prevention of injury among children and adolescents, and to conduct research in trauma care, prevention and education. We also play an important role in training health professionals in trauma-related clinical skills and providing safety information and education to the public.

Research achievements

Our research examines trauma at a number of levels. We conduct quality assurance at the hospital level to ensure that our management of children is as effective and seamless as possible. We are consulted by both government and non-government organisations to provide information and expertise which can be used to change practices in the community. Our work and that of other organisations devoted to the improvement of childhood safety has led to a significant 10 to 15% reduction of severe trauma rates in NSW.

We are currently researching road and water related injuries as well as spinal injuries in children. For example, we are studying the long term effects of aquatic immersion on the health, behaviour and well being of children who experienced a near drowning; the cost of trauma; how to prevent children falling from residential buildings, and are conducting an in-depth crash investigation study to determine injury sources and mechanisms among rear seat vehicle occupants.

The NSW Trauma Plan came into effect in March, 2010. Our research into the transfer of paediatric trauma patients provided evidence that supported the paediatric component of this plan.